Ethylene, biomass-derived from ethanol

Ethylene for the manufacture of polyethylene is derived from cracking various components of petroleum oil such as the gasoline fraction, gas oil, or from hydrocarbons such as ethane. While petroleum remains the predominant source of the monomer at the present time, it can also be produced using biomass. In fact ethylene has been commercially derived from molasses, a by-product of sugar cane industry, via the dehydration of ethanol. 

Because oil and gas ate not renewable resources, at some point in time alternative feedstocks will become attractive however, this point appears to be fat in the future. Of the alternatives, only biomass is a renewable resource (see Fuels frombiomass). The only chemical produced from biomass in commercial quantities at the present time is ethanol by fermentation. The cost of ethanol from biomass is not yet competitive with synthetically produced ethanol from ethylene. Ethanol (qv) can be converted into a number of petrochemical derivatives and could become a significant source. 

Other interesting and growing enviromnentally friendly indnstries which ACOMP may be applied to are biofuels and green polymers made from renewable feedstocks such as ethanol-derived ethylene and other processes. ACOMP may eventnaUy be nsed to monitor fermentation processes to gange conversion of biomass to the active biofuel or chemical feedstock. This is a completely novel and untested application for the technology, but could be of substantial commercial and enviromnental benefit. 

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